Clamping device



June L. G. CHALCHOFF- CLAMPING DEVI CE Filed Dec. 30, 1938 3/? M Z a JW,

' [011115 6: Kid/0i i? Patented June 18,1940

x UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to clamping devicesparticularly adapted for retaining ropes, lines, or the like.

The clamping devices contemplated by my invention exert a frictionalretaining force or grip .on a rope or the like passed thereinto' that isproportional to the stress or tension inth-e rope or the like, thisfrictional force being produced by a lever or equivalent device whichpresses against the rope or the like at one point thereof and whichaffords a leverage through which the pull exerted by the line iseifective to clamp the rope at that point. When it is required torelease the rope or line from the grip of the clamp, the lever or likemember is moved against the tension of the line and into a positionwhere it will no longer be in clamping engagement with the line. i

The principal object of this invention is to. provide a novel clampingdevice which is adaptable to a wide variety of uses where quick actionis required in fastening a line or rope, and which is made up of partsthat are simple, inexpensive and few in number. 7

Another object is to enable a clamping device of the type describedabove to be expeditiously released when it is required to free the lineor rope from the grip of the clamp.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in whichFig. 1 is a side elevation of my novel clamp structure;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the clamp;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2and showing the clamp in closed position; v

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig.3 but showing theclamp in open position;

and

. Fig. 5 is a plan sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated herein, theclamp comprises a frame In, a clamping lever H, and a h0ok-shapedreleasing member l2. An eye l3 soldered, brazed or otherwise secured tothe frame l0 receives a side members I5 and Hiwhich are joined at thethe eye I3 is secured. Another crosspiece l8 connects. the side membersl5 and H5 at one extremity of the widened portions thereof. A

block or shoulder l9 joins the other extremities of the widened portionsof the side members l5 and I6 and, as best shown in Figs. 3 to 5, the

. ll, these lugs 24 extending from the lever II in opposite directions.The lower extremity of the lever H is flattened, as indicated at 25 andcooperatesl with the shoulder H! to clamp the rope or line 26therebetween.

The rope or line 26 that is to be gripped by the clamp passes betweenthe crosspiece l8 of the frame l0 and lugs 24 on the lever H. Curvedrecesses, indicated respectively at 21 and 28 in crosspiece l8 andbetween lugs 24, Fig. 2, facilitate the passage of the rope 25. A curvedrecess 29, Fig. 5, is likewise defined between the pins 23 of lever H,so that the end of the rope 26 may be conveniently threaded around thepins 23 and through the throat 2|. Thereafter the rope 26 is grippedbetween the shoulder l9 and the flat piece 25 on lever II. The adjacentsurfaces of the shoulder l9 and of the flat piece 25 which are adaptedto grip the rope 26 are preferably ribbed, as indicated at 30, toincrease the retaining force exerted by the clamp.

The pull of the line 25 in the direction of the arrow, Figs. 1, 3 and 4,tends to pivot the lever ll about its pins 23 in a clockwise direction,and causes the fiat portion 25 to squeeze the rope 26 againstthegripping surface of the shoulder Hi. This eifectively retains the rope26 against slipping, in a well-known manner. If it is desired toincrease the tension in the line 26, the free end of the line26 ispulled downwardly by hand, causing the tension of the line to becancelled, in so faras the lever H is concerned, so that the slack inthe line 26 can then be taken in. Upon release of the manual pull on thefree end of the line 26, the lever II will again be moved clockwise andthe fiat portion 2'5 will again bear on that section of the rope 26which is disposed thereunder and will squeeze the rope against thegripping surface'of the shoulder l9.

When it is desired to release the rope 26 from the grip of the clamp, mynovel releasing means is employed in a manner which will now beexplained. The releasing member l2 has curved extensions 3! at one endthereof, an opening 32, Fig. 5, being defined between these extensions.The member I2 is inserted in position so that the shank 3 t thereofextends through a suitable opening in an eye or post 33 which is fast onthe lever ll, while the ends of the curved extensions 35 of the memberl2 bear on the inclined surfaces 35 of the extensions 2!] on theshoulder 59. The shank 34 is sized to fit loosely within the opening inthe post 33. The opening 32 in member l2 permits the lever H to passbetween the extensions 3! of the member l2. A hook 31 to which a cord 36is attached is conveniently inserted into a hole 38 in the shank 34 ofthe member I2. 7

Normally, when the clamp is in use, the parts occupy the relativepositions shown in Fig. 3. When the rope 2b is to be released, the cord36 is grasped and pulled to thereby swing the member i2counterclockwise, Fig. 4. Preferably the inclined upper surfaces 35 onthe extensions til of the shoulder is are made smooth so that the curvedextensions 3! of the member I2 will slide freely thereon as the memberl2 is moved rotatively. As the shank 34 bears against the post 33 duringits outward movement, it forces the lever ll to, swing counterclockwise,disengaging the fiat portion 25 thereof from the rope 26, which is thenreleased.

Once the member if is moved into the position shown in Fig. l, it tendsto retain itself in that position with very little tension required inthe cord 35. This feature may be enhanced or modified, as desired, byimparting the appropriate curvature to the extensions ti on the memberl2. Due to the circuitous path of the rope 26 through the clampstructure, the rope 2% will be released gradually rather than suddenlyor jerkily.

After the rope 2%: has been let out the desired amount, the member l2may be easily re" stored to the position as shown inFig. 3. This featureis of great importance where my clamp is used to hoist loads verticallyand whereit is necessary to lower the suspended load from time to timeand raise it back up again. In this event the clamp is supported in aposition at right angles to that as shown in Figs. 1. to l, and the cord3 is made sufficiently long that it will depend to a point where it canbe grasped. By pulling on the cord 36 the releasing member if isoperated and the rope 2%; is gradually and easily released. When theload has been lowered thenecessary distance, the cord 35 is released tostart the releasing member if! moving back into its inoperativeposition. The lever ll then restores itself, under the influence of thestress exerted by the rope 25, as noted hereinabove, to thereby bringthe releasing member l2 into its inoperative position and cause theflattened portion 26 of the lever l! to clamp the rope against thegripping surface of the shoulder 19: TvV-hen the load is to be raisedagain, the

free end of the rope 26 is pulled and the load is thereby hoisted. Thecircuitous route of the rope'iti through the clamp structure does nothinder the hoisting of the load since therope 2B bears on smoothly.rounded corners as 28 (on lugs 2 29 (on pins 23) and 39 (on shoulder[9).

My novel clamp eliminates the necessity of winding the free end of therope or line around a cleat or the like, thus materially decreasing thetime required to fasten and unfasten the rope. This is of utility in.securing clothes lines, stringing up animals for skinning or ressing,fastening lines on sailing vessels, and many other uses.

The manner of mounting the releasing member l2 on the lever ll rendersit easy to assemble and replace and permits relative movement betweenthe member it and the lever H without resorting to the use of anenclosed pivotal mounting.

When the clamp is to be disseinbled, the rope 26.3 is removed from theclamp and the cord 35 is unhooked from the member i2. Removal of therope 285 permits the pins 23 on the lever H to be slid past the rounded.ears ill on the extensions 2d of shoulder as, whereupon the lever i l isfree to be removed from the frame It, The member 52 is easily separatedfrom the lever i l by sliding the shank 3 1 back out through the eye 3%.After the lever H has been reassembled in the frame it and the rope 26inserted, the pins 23 will be prevented from leaving the sockets 22oy-the rope 26. Preferably, the shank 34 of the releasing member i2 isof such length that it can he removed from the eye 33 on lever H onlywhen the lever ii is removed from the frame it. In this way, my novelclamp can be attached to the rope or line and sold with the line,without danger of. the parts separated.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described a selected embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that this is capable ofvariation andmodification and Itherefore do not wish to be limited tothe precisedetails set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes andalterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A clamping device comprising a frame through whicha rope or the liketo be clamped is passed, said frame being provided at the bottom with afixed rope gripping surface and hav ing at opposite sides open bearingsockets located at an intermediate point between the grip ping surfaceand the top'of the frame, a clamping lever having laterally extendingpivot means journaled in said bearing sockets and retained therein bysaid rope when the same is arranged in the frame and is clamped betweenthe same and said lever, the latter being provided with an upper ropereceiving portion and having a lower portion cooperating with thegripping surface of the frame to clamp the rope.

2. A clamping device comprising a frame through which a rope or the liketo be clamped is passed, said frame comprising substantially triangularside members, a block connecting the side members at one extremity ofthe frame and provided with extensions having open bearing sockets. attheir under sides and a cross piece connecting the opposite extremitiesof the frame members, and a substantially triangular clamping leverhaving laterally extending pivot portions journaled in said sockets andretained therein by the rope when the same is arranged in the clampingdevice.

3. A clamping device comprising a frame through which a rope or the liketo be clamped becoming is passed, said frame being provided with a rope:1 5

gripping surface, a clamping lever pivoted in the frame and cooperatingwith said gripping surface for clamping the rope and provided at oneside of its pivotal point with a projecting eye, and a releasing memberloosely and removably arranged'in said eye and having an inner portionfulcrumed on the frame beyond the pivotal point of the lever, the outerportion of the releasing member forming an operating arm for swingingthe lever in a direction to release saidrope.

4. A clamping device comprising a frame through which a rope or the liketo be clamped is passed, said frame having a gripping surface,

a clamping lever pivoted in theframe and cooperating with the grippingsurface thereof for clamping the rope and provided at one side of itspivotal point with a projecting eye, and a releasing member loosely andremovably arranged in said eye and having a curved forked inner'portionstraddling the lever and fulcrumed on the frame beyond the pivotal pointof the lever, the outer portion of the releasing member constituting anoperating arm for moving the 10 lever in a direction to release saidrope.

LOUIS G. CHALCHOFF.

